Francis Lapp took his love for sailing to a new level when he opened the Sunreef Yachts doors in Poland in 2003, though the road to acceptance was not easy. For many at the time, it was simply too difficult to believe that catamarans could make a viable base for a high-quality, luxury product with a real impact on luxury yacht trends. At the time, the majority of catamaran owners used their yachts as either racing boats or cheaper leisure boats. Lapp knew he had an innovative, industry-changing product in mind for the market, and he knew it could transform this lacklustre perception of multihulls. And so, he persisted.
Almost two decades later, the Sunreef Yachts shipyard has certainly proved that persistence has paid off. In fact, the Sunreef brand is stronger than ever, with over 140 Sunreef luxury sailing and motor yachts cruising in all four corners of the world. Here the Sunreef Yachts Founder and CEO explores the yachting trends of 2020 and how the Polish luxury shipyard is delivering on increasing client demand for high-quality catamarans that push the mould when it comes to luxury sailing and motoryacht experiences.
Luxury Yacht trends with Francis Lapp
FL: Over my past 20 years of involvement with the yachting world, I have observed many trends in the field of yacht design. Some have come and gone, some have persisted. Today, we are witnessing one such trend persisting and fast becoming one of the most exciting evolutions of the yachting industry. The increasing demand for large catamarans shows that a part of the monohull superyacht market is gradually shifting towards multihulls.
Looking back to the beginning of Sunreef Yachts 17 years ago, this is an incredible shift. When I founded Sunreef Yachts, luxury catamarans were almost non-existent. In 2003 we launched the world’s first luxury catamaran with a flybridge – the Sunreef 74. We discovered a new potential. Nobody believed multihulls would ever achieve their current status, but we continued to prove many in the industry wrong. The Sunreef product was gaining ground with more and more luxury yacht owners looking for a high-quality catamaran for superior cruising experiences
Changing custom yacht demands
In 2020, we see more and more big catamaran designs emerging on the ever-expanding market. A range of monohull yacht brands are now trying their hand at luxury multihull design. In the nearest future, we will see twin-hulled crafts gaining ground in the superyacht world. This trend is visible and tangible. But where did it start?
Today’s trend for big, ocean-going multihulls comes down to a transformation of client expectations. Superyacht owners are increasingly looking for a better length-to-volume ratio when it comes to their custom yacht. We also see more and more yacht owners demand more stability, fuel efficiency and greener solutions, combined with wide, open spaces to enjoy with friends and family close to the sea.
Almost as a testament to this trend, Sunreef Yachts has recently been commissioned to build the biggest luxury power catamaran to come out of our yard to date, the 49M Sunreef Power – an impressive 49-metre craft with a 17-metre beam.
Looking at the recent market trends, I’m confident that this catamaran, among other superyacht projects like the 110 Sunreef Power, will become landmarks in the luxury yachting industry. We’re certainly all looking forward to the journey.
Learn more about Sunreef Yachts range of luxury catamarans and superyachts on the Sunreef website.
